The effects of insulin therapy on the glucose transport response to insulin in adipocytes from stretozotocin diabetic rats have been examined. The results suggest that insulin therapy produces markedly hyperresponsive insulin-stimulated adipocyte glucose transport but only in part by increasing intracellular glucose transporters and insulin-stimulated glucose transporter translocation to the plasma membrane. The remaining hyperresponsiveness appears to be due to concurrently augmented glucose transporter intrinsic activity.